Lifeless
by Yo's Subordinate
Summary: AangxZuko. Drabblesque. Dark content. "There's more than one way a person can die..." Enjoy.


Disclaimer: I don't own _Avatar: The Last Airbender_, so I'm not making any money from writing this thing. Eh...Yazu's my OC...but I'm still not profiting.  
Warnings: Shounen ai if you squint. AU-ish and character death. It's also rather...angsty and dark. Ursa kind of...goes crazy.  
Pairing:Zuko/Aang-ish

Original Notes: [[[ **I** ]]] wrote this set to a Youtube music video for TLC's song "Waterfall" and the following quote: "How is it people cling to their grief. And yet-Are able to forgive even the ones they hated?" ~Gackt. It's all Saku's fault because she was the one who gave me the prompt.  
Notes 4/9/12:This drabble is also found at my LiveJournal. Also, consider this piece rated heavy T to Light M. This is also written for the '#16, think of me and I'll be there' prompt at the LJ community 30-hugs (I signed up for Zuko/Aang there awhile back).

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"Lifeless"  
WC: 827

By Yo, Written 9/4/11  
Posted at FF dot net & at LJ's 30-hugs: 4/9/12

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He wore the red robes of the Fire Nation king, yet he appeared anything but fierce and regal at the present moment. Zuko sat propped up in the window seat of his private room, one leg hanging off of the side while the other was bent at the knee. The pillows he rested against were lush and burgundy and soft, as he should have consciously known; however, he was absently rubbing his long fingers across the velvety fabric.

His amber gaze was directed toward the storm crashing and banging around outside in the dark on the palace grounds. His mind was miles away, and an emptiness was beginning to overwhelm his heart. He found he couldn't grieve for his mother or hate his father and sister, not right now, at least.

After what happened earlier that day, he could barely feel anything...

Ursa had come to him for permission to speak with Ozai and Azula down in their cells, and he hadn't thought twice about granting the Queen-Mother what she sought. He knew he'd give her just about anything she asked for, but he should have been more discriminating today. He should've put down his pen, raised his head, and gazed at her properly—perhaps he could've spotted an anomaly in the atmosphere had he done so. He might've been able to see that something was wrong with his mother. Perhaps he could've saved her—all three of them. But, no, he didn't pay attention, and he lost them—he lost his broken little family.

About twenty minutes after Ursa left his office, he heard gunshots go off from somewhere inside the palace. He couldn't tell where the sound emanated from. He didn't even understand how he could hear anything with the rain pounding down outside and his office door slammed tightly shut. He didn't understand why his heart suddenly decided to break at the very moment those gunshots reverberated through the palace.

It wasn't even five minutes after that that a hoard of guards were barreling through his office and trying to tell him what happened, all at once. He had to threaten them into silence to get them to calm down.

He commanded Yazu, one of his most trusted soldiers, to speak, and the short, reticent, balding man answered without emotion, "Sire, the Queen-Mother has murdered the former fire lord and crown princess, before taking her own life as well."

Zuko could only stare him. He couldn't move or blink or even breathe. Not for three full seconds.

He then started shouting and ordering his men out of the damn room before he himself was racing down to the dungeons.

The sight that met him...he couldn't even describe it...not without breaking down. Blood and brains ran down the walls...painted the floors...

He could only stare. And stare. And slowly empty into nothing. Yazu had to pull him out of the room and all the way up to his quarters. He was the Fire Lord, but he was too weak to face the dungeons where they died...

His men and the maids...and he didn't know who else...had to clean them up...

Why would his mother do such a thing? He didn't understand. Something had to be wrong with her mind...it _had_ to be for her to go and _kill_. Why had she spared him? He just didn't understand. He couldn't understand. Not something so...so awful.

"Sire?" Yazu asked from the door, interrupting his thoughts, bringing him back to the present.

"Yes?" He whispered.

"The Avatar is here and adamant about seeing you. Should I grant his admittance?"

"Go ahead and allow him in."

"Yes, my Lord," said Yazu, quietly shutting the door behind him.

Zuko did not move from his position at the window seat. He couldn't think of a reason why he shouldn't let Aang in. Obviously the boy had some kind of premonition about the situation...

"Zuko?" Aang called from the door.

The Fire Lord did not turn to gaze at his friend, but in response, he let out a sigh, pressing his forehead against the cool window glass, admiring the torrent of raindrops falling down on the other side like a waterfall.

"Zuko..." Aang whispered, his name lingering so sadly on the boy's lips.

Zuko didn't respond, even as Aang wrapped his arms around his chest and repositioned their bodies. Aang held him from behind, curling his legs around Zuko's waist. Aang pulled Zuko's head against Aang's chest. The boy was kissing his forehead.

"Why are you here?" Zuko looked up at Aang, empty and weary and drained.

"It felt like you needed me, and it turns out I was right. I'm not going to let you die on me."

"I'm not dead, stupid."

"There's more than one way a person can die..." Zuko shivered as the boy whispered those words in his ear.

Zuko closed his eyes and sank fully back into the boy's warmth.

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_**OWARI**_


End file.
